What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedLiving
Oliver Hermanus · Film · 2022
If you loved Living, start with The Death of Ivan Ilyich (Count Leo Nikolayevich Tolstoy, Leo Tolstoy, 2014) — a book from the same story. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Living across media.
What hooked you in Living was the quiet, profound way a sudden confrontation with mortality forces a reevaluation of life.
Start with the source
The source
The Death of Ivan Ilyich
Count Leo Nikolayevich Tolstoy, Leo Tolstoy · Book · 2014
Adaptation
Ikiru
Film · 1952
Books on the same thread
A Little Life
Hanya Yanagihara · Book · 2016
Explores: childhood trauma, enduring friendship, emotional endurance.
Like the protagonist of Living, the characters here grapple with the heavy emotional weight of their pasts and the difficult search for meaning amidst deep-seated personal trauma.
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End
Atul Gawande · Book · 2015
Shares a thread with Living: Mortality.
This non-fiction work mirrors the central inquiry of Living by examining how individuals define a meaningful existence when faced with the inevitable reality of a terminal prognosis.
The Remains of the Day
KAZUO. ISHIGURO · Book · 2019
Explores: Repression, Duty vs. Desire, Nostalgia.
Sharing the mid-century British aesthetic of Living, this story explores the quiet tragedy of a life defined by professional repression and the late realization of lost potential.
Never Let Me Go
Kazuo Ishiguro · Book · 2005
Shares a thread with Living: Mortality.
Much like the reflection on time found in Living, this narrative forces its characters to confront the brevity of their lives and the significance of their remaining memories.
Series on the same thread
After Life
Ricky Gervais · Series · 2019
Explores: Grief, Existentialism, Cynicism.
If the transformation of the lead in Living resonated with you, you will appreciate this character's journey as he navigates the existential vacuum left by sudden, profound loss.
63 Up
Series · 2019
Explores: Aging, Social Class, British Society.
This documentary series captures the same longitudinal perspective on aging and life choices that Mr. Williams contemplates during the final, reflective chapter of his life in Living.
Severance
Dan Erickson · Series · 2022
Explores: Identity Crisis, Existentialism, Memory Manipulation.
This series expands on the critique of stifling bureaucracy seen in Living, focusing on the existential toll of a life partitioned by rigid, impersonal corporate structures and routines.
Move to Heaven
Yoon Ji-ryun · Series · 2021
Shares a thread with Living: Melodrama.
This show echoes the gentle, poignant focus of Living by finding deep human dignity and purpose in the overlooked tasks associated with the end of a life.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Archers
Podcast
Explores: family life, community, farming.
For those who appreciated the observational social realism of Living, this long-running drama offers a similarly steady and grounded exploration of community, duty, and the passage of time.
This American Life
This American Life · Podcast · 2026
Explores: The human condition, Personal narrative, Social observation.
Just as Living distills the complexity of a human life into a singular, meaningful arc, this podcast curates personal narratives that illuminate the profound depth of human experience.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Living based on the original Ikiru movie?
Yes, Living is a 2022 adaptation of the 1952 Japanese film Ikiru. Both films tell the story of a veteran civil servant who receives a life-changing medical diagnosis and seeks to find meaning in his final days while navigating the bureaucracy of post-war reconstruction.
How does the story of Living compare to The Death of Ivan Ilyich?
Living shares thematic similarities with the book The Death of Ivan Ilyich. Both narratives center on a man who leads a life of bureaucratic routine until a terminal health crisis forces him to confront his past choices and seek genuine fulfillment before his time runs out.
Should I watch Ikiru before or after watching Living?
You can watch Ikiru in any order relative to Living. Since Living is a direct adaptation of the 1952 film, watching both provides a broader perspective on how the story of a civil servant facing a terminal diagnosis is interpreted across different cultural and historical settings.
Is the setting of Living different from the original Ikiru?
The setting of Living is distinct from the original Ikiru. While the 1952 film is set in post-war Japan, the 2022 version of Living transplants the narrative to 1953 London, focusing on the bureaucratic challenges faced by a veteran civil servant in the aftermath of World War II.